FEARFUL STORM IN AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 271, 16 November 1901, Page 3

FEARFUL STORM IN AUSTRALIA.

A DEVASTATING OYOLONE. PBB PBESS ASSOCIATION. Melbourne, November 15. A destructive cyclone swept the city and a portion ef the suburbs last night, doiog an immense amount of damage during less than half as hour which it lasted. The wind reached a veloci'y of 76 miles an hour. As soon as it calmed a terrific Ml of hail occurred, the hailstones measuring 1| i inches in diame'er. some being much larger, Thousands of windows, all in | exposed positions, and skylights were smashed ; telephooe wires were broken, and trees stripped of their leaves. The gutters were blocked nnd water flooded many premises. At Maple Company's furniture f»c ory the wind unroofed ooe new building, and the water erased damage to the extent of .£2OOO. The Royal Arcide was a scene of desolation. The skylights were riddled, and the rain ruinel many shops. The photographic studios were heavy sufferers. At Talma's studio the damage was £SOO. At Cole's book arcade sd estimate of the ruin of bioks is £IOOO. Much damage was al-o dona at Melville and Mu'lenV, booksellers, and the public library. The tntil lo*se3 in the I city are estimated at, £20,000.

At Bacchus Marsh, during a heavy thunderstorm, hils'on s f 11 as large as lua's eggs, aud 86 points of rain fe'.l io 15 minutes. Wirdows and skylights were broken. The wind Llew with terrific fore. A mm nam d An'ler.-on wen blown from a over a 'eve a - d ki'led. Anderson's house w» w>6' k'd «» d his wife severely injured, The windows | and doors of other hnuses were forced i in, and machineiy, drays, and stacks blown a cons : dernbl9 distance. At Batlar.it, bes'dei devastation to windows and skyligh's, numbers <f houses were wrecked, crops destroyed, stock killed, and hous s flooded.

At Sulky Gully two hotels and several houses were cUstroyf d. At Cas'lemaine hai'stones weighed up to seven ounces, and smashed most of the windows in the town and riddled and unroofed many houtes. The streets were Btrav.'n with dibr 8, ard several pernors were seriously injured. At Forest Creik tha dredge office was blown down, a barge defttroyed. rod fi ur < mployte* seriously injured. A*; Ohewtnn, the houss of Mr Lamb, ex-Mayor, collapsed, and Mr Limb's bidy «as afterwards found in thf debris.

Great damage w»s dane to miniDg planf;, and for miles around the country-was devastated. Many families ■ have corns to Chstlemaioe fo<" shelter,; and cattle and sheep were killed. '■ At 'Wesley Hill nearly tWtl.fgJsN

j was destroyed or unroofed, including churches, At Auburn, a st'burb of Melbourne, a man named Morgan went on to a i oof to clean away tbe hail, where he t was subsequently found drad. Received 16, 0.15 a.m. Melbourne, .November 15 Nine persons were injured, some seriously, by falling debris at Castlemaine. Several of them were rescued j from collapsed houses after the gale. , EFFEOTS OF STORM IN NEW SOUTH I WALES. Sydney, November 15. Reports from the Riverina show that , the storm which swept Victoria was widely experienced in Nr / South ' Wales. At Berrigan the School of Arts and an immense railway grain sbed were wrecked, and two hotel* and a number of houses were wrecked or severely damaged, and roofs were car- ' ried bodily long distances. From Deniliquin and many other places ! Bimihr reports of devastation,are told. ! The heavy rains accompanying resulted in great losses of crops and property. I